Today, Apple announced a new feature called “Live Photos” that allow users to utilize the new 3D touch feature to reveal quick, looping videos from photos they’ve taken. Interestingly, Apple stated that this new Live Photo feature is NOT video, but rather an actual photo with the same HD, high-quality capabilities that the camera brought to the new generation of iPhone. By pressing on the photo, the video comes alive, bringing the moment to life for a few seconds with the new 3D touch.

Why the emphasis on this not being a video? Cinemagraphs, Live Photos, and the art of hybrid photography is starting to find a place of its own among other popular mediums.

How Does it Work?

In order to create these Live Photos, the feature records a quick 1.5 seconds of video on both sides of a photo to capture the movement. Apple also confirmed that these new Live Photos will be able to be viewed on the entire line-up of iPad, iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch line. The demo shows a Live Photo used on the lock screen of an iPhone, showcasing how users can use the new feature to create custom motion wallpapers. We can’t wait to see Flixel cinemagraphs on iPhone screens across the globe!

4K Hybrid Photos

The creation of Live Photos emphasizes the ever steady movement towards hybrid photos as the future of photos and video. With the shift towards higher resolution video, such as 4K and 6K, photography and videography become even more intertwined. Speaking of, Apple announced that the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are going to shoot 4K video, which is big news for our Flixel community. The iPhone is now an amazing new platform for UHD cinemagraph creation when using Cinemagraph Pro for iOS

Now, our team at Flixel is busy developing more updates to accompany these new features by Apple. Stay tuned!

When Cassandra was six, she was asked to share a story with her class…and hasn’t stopped telling them since. Now she does so through photography, video and writing, but with the same sense of wonder - and love for glitter - as her inner kid.